Back Flip: One of a number of terms for a back somersault move that begins usually taking off two feet, rotates then lands again on the feet.  Also called Back Somersault, Back Salto, Back Tuck, Back Pike, Back Layout. 

Back Giant: A circling skill done on high bar, parallel bars and uneven bars that begins and finishes in a handstand and circles around the bar in a fully extended position, often using an arch/hollow tap swing action.

Back Handspring: A tumbling move where a gymnast takes off from one or two feet, jumps backward onto the hands and lands on the feet.  This skill can be as a step-out skill (usual method on beam) or landed on two feet.  Round-off back handsprings are the basis for almost all back tumbling skills.  Back handsprings are also called a Flip-Flop or Flic-Flac. 

Back Somersault: One of the number of terms for a back salto move that begins usually taking off two feet, rotates then lands again on the feet.  Also called Back Flip, Back Salto, Back Tuck, Back Pike, Back Layout. 

Back Somie/Back Salto Dismount: A somersaulting dismount off beam, parallel bars, rings, bars or even pommel horse using an back aerial somersault. 

Back Walkover: A control skill gymnastics move starting and finishing on the feet and made by lifting one leg, arching back into and passing through a handstand position by bringing one foot, then the other over the top and stepping down from the handstand into a lunge. Done on floor and beam and often used on beam in combination with a back handspring to fulfill the flight series combination requirement.

Back: A backward somersault.  See Back Somersault.

Backbend: A body position with an high degree of bending with an arched back and stretched shoulders where the hands and feet are on the floor.  To do correctly with the shoulders over the hands and straight legs, requires above average back and shoulder flexibility.

Backgrab: A term used in gymnastics to describe when a gymnast kicks one leg to the rear while standing, grabs the leg from overhead, and ends up in a needle scale position See: Needle Scale

Back-In, Full-Out: A double back salto with a full twist.  The twist is initiated and completed during the second salto.  Also called a Full-Out

Balance Beam: 1) A piece of women’s gymnastics apparatus 120 centimeters (4 feet) high, 10 centimeters (4 inches) wide, and 500 centimeters (16 feet) long. 
 2) A women's gymnastics event performed on the balance beam apparatus. The balance beam routine should last between 70 to 90 seconds and includes a variety of acrobatic, gymnastic, and dance moves, ending with a dismount.

Balance: 1) A static gymnastics or dance position, which holds the body in a distinct shape and is usually used on beam.
2) A state of equilibrium or be in equilibrium
3) A routine that has its elements evenly spread and distributed throughout the whole routine is said to be balanced.

Balancé: A dance move meaning to swing or rock, usually done as a swinging 3-step movement. 

Balançoire: A dance term that means see-saw.
A see-saw movement that as the leg moves forward and backwards, the body bends in the opposite direction.

Ball Out: On trampoline this term refers to a front somersault done from a bounce on the back.

Ballistic Stretching: The use of momentum or "bouncing" to force a limb beyond its range of motion in order to warm up or increase flexibility. Examples of ballistic stretching would be leg swings or bouncing in splits. Such stretches may lead to injury if the body is not thoroughly warmed up, but if done carefully (with light force and controlled amplitude), experienced gymnasts may benefit from these flexibility exercises.

Bar: A horizontal rod that serves as a part of a gymnastics apparatus for gymnasts as they perform exercises.  They are found on uneven bars, high bars and parallel bars. A bar can also be called a Rail.

Barani: A forward somersault with a half-twist. The skill is most often done in the layout  position  and the twist is done with a ¼ in, ¼ out twist timing. 

Battement: A dance term meaning movement of the leg. 

Bhardwaj: A salto on uneven bars named after Mohini Bhardwaj. She first performed the skill in International competition in 2004. It is done from a hang on the high bar, facing the low bar with a swing forward, and a layout salto backward with a full turn (360 degrees) between bars to a handstand on the low bar.  It has been rated as D level skill with the FIG and its FIG number is 4.506 

Bhavsar: A rings skill named after Raj Bhavsar. It is a pull through momentary, front lever press to Maltese It has been rated by the FIG as an E level skill (Super E if done with straight body). 

Blind Change: A high bar or uneven bar skill done from a back giant, with a ½ turn over the top of the bar to end in a front giant. 

Block: The term block in gymnastics is usually used to describe a rapid bounce, repulsion or rebounding off the floor or vault with the arms. The block comes from the shoulders exploding towards full extension and usually is used in reference to handsprings on floor and all vaults off the vault horse.. 

Body Wave: A wave-like contraction movement of the entire body passing through the hips, shoulders, arms and head.

Bonus Points: Each skill has a Level of difficulty rated by the FIG as an A, B, C, D E or Super E level skill.  Bonus points in a routine are created by the combination of difficult C or D level skills or by performing the very difficult E or Super E skills. 

Borden: A balance beam skill named after Amanda Borden.  It is a straddle pike jump done from a sideways position on the beam with a ½ or ¾ turn.  It has been rated as a C level skill by the FIG and its FIG number is 2.302 

Brause: An uneven bar skill named after Doris Fuchs Brause. It is done from the low bar facing away from the high bar, with a cast to front salto forward and catching the high bar.  It has been rated as a C skill by the FIG. 

Bridge: Another term for a backbend in which the body forms an arch, supported by the hands and feet. Ideally, the arms and legs should be straight and close together. It is often done starting by lying on the floor, bending the knees up with the feet on the floor and then pushing up with the arms and legs.  See Backbend

Bryan:  A pommel horse skill named after Casey Bryan. It is a scissors with  ½ turn to handstand, ½ pirouette and straddle back down. It has been rated by the Fig as a C level skill. 

Buck: A short gymnastic horse without pommels and with one end elongated.  It used to be used lengthwise for vaulting and sideways for learning pommel horse skills.  It is not commonly used for vaulting any longer, but still is sometimes used as a training tool for pommel horse.  Also called a pommel buck.
 

Gymnastics Dictionary